It’s back to school week and while some of us are no longer in school, we still have student loans. Thanks to the Republican lead Congress interest rates on student loans went up to 8.5% this year and Pell grants have been slashed. Young Democrats are not sitting idly by while the Republicans raid student aid. We are taking political action.

On September 30th, YDA will launch one of several Political Action Days in order to help build a bloc of young voters for Democrats. We need your chapter’s ideas to make the action day successful. Submit your ideas on our blog today on what actions and issues you think we should do on September 30th.

The Political Action Day is the first this election season is a series of action days YDA will host nation wide and we need you to make them a success.

*More on the Raid on Student Aid*
The student loan interest increase comes at a time when many of our peers are struggling to afford college in the first place. In fact about 200,000 young people couldn’t afford to start college this week because it is too expensive. The interest rate increase is yet another example of young people not being represented in the political process and how the Republican leadership does not care about young people.

YDA has been working with other youth groups on house bill HR 5150, “Reverse the Raid on Student Aid” which will bring the student loan interest rates back to around 4% and increase Pell grants. Since it is back to school week we thought it might be a good time to get your help on this lobbying effort. Our voices have to be heard today and in November we must continue to build a bloc of young voters for Democrats so these types of bills never get passed in the first place.

*More on the Political Action Day*
YDA is the only Democratic youth group that belongs to the America Votes table which organizes all the major progressive and Democratic groups’ field programs. We are joining them on September 30th as the America Votes partners all across the United States show the impact we can have in our communities during this election season.

Our message and actions on this first Political Action Day will focus on the increasingly unattainable path to college and the difficult path to paying back student loans.

*Actions Your Chapter Can Take Today*
Below are some ideas sent in from local chapters that have already taken action. These should give you an idea of things your chapter can do on September 30th or earlier!

* Create a press release to a local paper or college paper from young people in your city describing how this bill affects them

* Organize a letter writing campaign from constituents

* Form a statewide Youth Coordinated Table to take action on this issue (some states are even working with the Young Republicans on this)

* Blog about how it affects each one of us

* Calculate the amount of debt owed by college people within the state and use this as a motivator to get young people involved in fighting for an issue

* Target specific congressional races throughout the nation in which the Republican candidates are in competitive races and try to make this an issue in the race

* Sign the petition at: http://www.americanfamilyvoices.org/page/petition/College

* You can find other ideas at:
http://www.studentdebtalert.org

We are working diligently on issues that affect our age group. Thank you for your help on this project and we look forward to seeing your ideas in action.

Best,

Flora Brooke Hesse
Congressional Liaison, Young Democrats of America
National Committee Woman, Young Democrats of Georgia
(404) 428-3396

Omar Khan
Legislative Liaison, Young Democrats of America
President, Florida Young Democrats
(813) 857-3211